Motor-drive for target-throwing machines



c. H. NAPIER. MOTOR DRIVE FOR TARGET THROWING MACHINES.

Patented ay 3, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHE ET 1.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6| 1920.

IIIIIIII/II/ c. H. NAPIER. MOTOR DRIVE FOR TARGET THROWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, I920- Patented 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES rATEN'F I oF- icE.

CHARLES H. NAPIER, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

ROTOR-DRIVE FOR TA BGET-THROWIN G IMAGEIl'Ibl'IE'S.v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed July 6, 1920. Serial No. 394,114.

and a resident of Macon, county of Bibb, 1

and State of Geor 'a, have invented. certain new and useful mprovements in Motor- Drives for Target-Throwing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motor driven mechanism particularly suitable for energizing the driving springs of catapults of the type described in appllcants co-pending application for patent Serial No. 374,452, filed April 16, 1929.

The objects of the invention are to provide a suitable mechanism whereby a motor may be employed for tensioning the drive spring with suflicient rapidity to make a practical motor driven target throwing machine and to provide means for msuringthe proper cyclic operation with safety devices preventing the release of the target throwmg mechanism until the mechanism is rop erly set and also to prevent premature resetting of the mechanism.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the construction shown 1n the accompanying drawings wherein- "Figure 1 is a side elevation of -atarget throwing machine with a motor driven setting mechanism therefor, the latter mechanism being shown partly in sectlon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view with the throwmg mechanism omitted, but showing its support in section.

Fig. 3 is a detail in plan, showing the automatic mechanism for coupling of motor with said devices of the target machine.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

'Fig. 5 is a 'detail of automatic circuit controller for the trigger of the target throwing mechanism. a

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of an arm forming part of the circuit opening and motor coupling mechanism. I

Target throwing machines are often operated with considerable rapidity and therefore if provided with a motor drive, a comparatively strong motor is required in order to do the required work in a minimum time, but in order that the motor may be in constant operation to become effective in energizing the target throwing spring promptly at the required time, it is necessary to provide carefully designed means for automatlcally coupling the motor with the driven elements the instant the target throwing machine has completed an operation. It is also necessary to provide means for preventing release of the target throwing mechanism until the motor has completed its work.

The devlces employed for the above men- FIOIIBCl purposes as illustrated in the drawlugs, include a design of target throwing mechan sm comprising a driving spring 1 for oscillating an arm 2 for the link connectlon 3 with a target projector 4. The

spring is normally retained against action by trigger 5 in latched relation with the proector 4. The trigger 5 is operated to release the target throwing mechanism by a solenoid 6, the circuit 7 of which is controlled by manually operated switch 8, and an automatic circuit controller 9 shown in Flg. 5 This circuit controller is arranged to maintain the circuit open at the times that spring 1 is being placed under tension. The mechanism for tensioning spring 1 consists of a reciprocating slide 10, which at its rear end is attached to a chain 11. This chain passes around pulleys 12 and 13, the opposite end of the chain being attached to a torsion spring 43 which is adapted to take up the slack of the chain on rearward motions on the slide 10. The chain carries a-circular knob 14 which on forward motions of the slide 10 engages an arm 15 rotatable and rigid with the arm 2. The spring 1 is linked by a chain 16 with another arm 17 also rigid with arm 2. With this construction, when the slide 10 is drawn to the left, Fig. 1, the knob-14 engages the arm 15 rotating it and the elements rigid therewith to the left around pivot 18, thus tensioning spring 1 and drawing the projector forward to the position shown in Fig. l, where it is latched by the trigger 5. The slide 10 may then independently move .to the right, the slack of chain 11 being taken up by spring-13, the

When the dog 21 is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the crosshead 20 is idly reciprocated, but when the trigger is operated to release the target throwing mechanism, arm 15, Fig. 1, is rotated to the right by spr ng 5 1, far enough to come to the position of knob 14 and pull on chain 11 sufliciently' to move slide to the right, Fig. 4, so that the shoulders 27 engage the edges 28 of brackets 29 which support the pulley 12. This slight lo'motion of the slide 10 causes the ends of a pin 30 carried by dog 21 to register with slots 31 in a pair of arms 32 which are pivoted at 33 to the'sides of brackets 29. The dog 21 then drops into coacting relation with the hook 23 and the slide 10 is drawn to the left, thus energizing spring 1 and permitting the pro'ector 4 to become re-latched he arms 32 are 'cammed upforward ends 36 of t e arms 32, thus restoring dog 21 to the position in which it is shown in ig. 4. When in this position it is held inoperative in respect to the hook 23 and does not again become operative until the slide 10 moves slightly to the right upon release of the target throwing mechanlsm, as before described.

The circuit 7 can be closed only when the circuit controller 9 is in the condition shown in Fig. 5. This circuit controller comprises a pair of contacts 37 carried by a block of insulation 38 which in turn is mounted on the arms 32, so that it may rise slightly from these arms against the action of springs 39 encircling pins 40 carried by block 38 and passing through aperture in arms 32. When the dog 21 rides upwardly on the inclined ends 36 of the arms 32, it engages both of the contacts 37 closing the circuit. It is thus possible to energize the solenoid 6 only when the dog 21 is in the position shown in Fig. 4. After the circuit is closed, the do away f om the contacts 37. v In the operation of the device, the constantly running motor serves to reciprocate the crosshead 20 through link connection 26 with the .driven worm-wheel 25. The reciprocation of crosshead 20 is idle, that is, it does not effect the motion of slide 10 except when this slide is permitted to move to the right slightly by the release of the target throwing mechanism. The target throwing mechanism is released by an action of solenoid 6, Fi 1 and 2, upon the closing of switch 8. hen the slide 10 thus moves slightly to the right, Fig. 4, dog 21 drops as permitted by the pin 30, registering with the slots 31 and comes into the position for moves forwardly and then dropscoactin with the hook 23. The dog 21 and sli e 10 in which it is mounted, are then drawn to the left fully tensioning spring 1 and causing the projector 4 to become "relatched by trigger 5. The'i'eturn reciprocation of crosshead20 pushes the slide 10 back to the-position in which it is'sliown in Fig. 4, the dog 21 riding up the lnclined ends 36 of arms 32 at the engagement with the hook 23, but in position to close the circuit 7 at the contacts 37, Fig. 5.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention isherein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

. 1. A mechanical throwing device comprising a projector, a driving spring for the projector, a motor and connections driven b said motor for energizing said spring, el ectrically controlled means for releasing said projector, and automatic mechanism for rendering said means ineffective when said spring is energized a predetermined amount.

2. A mechanical throwing device comprising a projector, a driving spring for the projector, a motor and connections driven by said motor for energizing said spring, electrically controlled means for releasing the projector, and automatic mechanism for rendering saidmotor ineffective until said spring is denergized.

3. A mechanical throwing device comprising a projector, a driving spring for the projector, a motor and connections driven by said motor for energizing said spring, a latching and releasing mechanism for said projector, and automatic means for rendering ineffective said connections when the spring is energized.

4. A device of the class described comprising a throwing device and a spring for operating said throwing device, a constantly driven motor, mechanism for tensioning said spring, and means for coupling the motor with said mechanism, said means being normally ineffective but arranged to be rendered effective by action of said throwing device.

. 5. A device of the class described,vcom- I CHARLES H. NAPIER. 

